Man gets 5 years in prison for child porn

Thursday

Jan 30, 2014 at 12:01 AM

A Worthington man will spend five years in prison for viewing and downloading child pornography. Jason C. Grossman, 31, responded to a message posted by an undercover officer posing as the father of an 11-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, according to documents filed in federal court.

Allison Manning, The Columbus Dispatch

A Worthington man will spend five years in prison for viewing and downloading child pornography.

Jason C. Grossman, 31, responded to a message posted by an undercover officer posing as the father of an 11-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, according to documents filed in federal court.

Grossman expressed interest in having sex with the girl, and a meeting was set up for Jan. 9, 2013, in a Columbus parking lot. When questioned by officers working for the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Grossman admitted to having child pornography on his computer, the documents say.

Investigators seized two computers, two hard drives, a bag of Sour Patch Kids candy and two unopened condoms, records show.

Grossman pleaded guilty in August to one count of receiving child pornography. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost sentenced him to five years in prison, the mandatory minimum for the crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Hill recommended that he receive sex-offender treatment while in prison.

Frost also sentenced him to five years of court supervision after he gets out of prison; during that time, he must register as a sex offender. He also was ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution to one victim pictured in a series of photos found on his computer.

When he was charged, Grossman lived at 1451 Park Club Dr. in Westerville. In a December court filing, his attorney said he had moved to a Worthington apartment.

Grossman has a license to practice law in Ohio but never worked as an attorney, according to the sentencing memorandum filed in court. His license is suspended.

Cpl. Jeff Zech, supervisor of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children task force, said the Grossman case was a typical “traveler” investigation, in which a suspect will travel to meet a child for sex.

He said undercover officers often will use the lure of a child to catch abusers.

“The thing is that there are people out here that do this sort of thing,” he said.

amanning@dispatch.com

@allymanning

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